US consumer prices rose in December, bolstering expectations that long-weak inflation is set to gain strength in the new year....

Healthy retail sales in 2017 are another sign of the growing strength of the United States economy, but inflation was slower than expected, according to the latest government data released Friday.

The US central bank has scheduled three rate rises this year and these latest figures have seen the pound reach its highest level against the dollar since the European Union referendum.

Told to keep the inflation at 4 per cent, RBI, which has seen inflation rise beyond the comfort zone, will be under pressure to not slash the interest rate. It raised borrowing costs three times in 2017.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI), which excludes volatile food and energy components, rose 0.3 per cent last month from November, compared to expectations of a 0.2 per cent increase by a Reuters poll of economists. The index for all items less food and energy (core) increased 1.8 % (YoY) over the past year.

Reported by the Census Bureau, a dvance estimates of USA retail and food services sales for December 2017, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, were $495.4 billion, an increase of 0.4 %.

The Consumer Price Index CPI measures the cha nge in prices paid by consumers for goods and services.

Despite the month-over-month decline, the PPI posted a 2.6% gain for all of 2017 when compared to 2016 when it registered a 1.7% increase.

The government will release the December core PCE price index data later this month.

Retail food prices rose by 4.96% in December 2017 as compared to 4.35% in November.

The Nasdaq Composite .IXIC was up 42.49 points, or 0.59 percent, at 7,254.26. Retail sales increased 5.4 percent from a year earlier. The cost of motor vehicle insurance increased 0.6 percent.

Sales last month were lifted by a 1.2 percent jump in receipts at gardening and building material stores and a 0.2 percent rise for auto dealerships. This comes after a 0.2% increase in the previous month.

"One of the big questions going into today was whether the [CPI] print would strengthen or weaken the case for as many as three interest-rate increases this year", said Bill Northey, chief investment officer at the private client group at U.S. Bank.

Electricity generation growth too slowed to 3.9% in November from 9.5% in the corresponding month a year ago.

He said the biggest positive was the revision to the November retail data, suggesting fourth-quarter economic growth may have been stronger than previously thought.

After releasing on the PC, PS3, Xbox 360, PS4, and Xbox One, this co-operative multiplayer shooter graces the Nintendo Switch . Along with the improved visuals and frame rate, the enhanced version will also include the Artorias of the Abyss DLC.

Iowa made its first 17 free throws in the game; Bohannon and Garza had ideal nights, going 10-for-10 and 9-for-9, respectively. IL is 0-3 in overtime games this season with all three OT losses coming in Big Ten games (Northwestern, Maryland, Iowa).

Ecuador's foreign minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa said Assange was naturalised as a citizen on 12 December, at his request. The move was seen as an unsuccessful attempt to allow Assange to leave the embassy without facing arrest by British police.

The South Korean won accounts for 10 percent of all trading activity in ethereum and 5 percent in bitcoin . Reports are emerging of nation-wide police inspections on crypto exchanges in the Southeast Asian nation.

But Simpson's comments appear to confirm that the FBI did not launch its Trump-Russia investigation just because of the dossier. During Simpson's interview in August, a Republican staffer pressed him further on this claim, and Simpson's answers were vague.

I'm not a Trump apologist. "In The Rosanne Show, I've always tried to have it be a true reflection of the society we live in ". In her TV world, Barr said her alter-ego Roseanne Conner will be a Trump supporter when the show returns for a tenth season.

Because of these reporting delays, more time is needed before CDC can say the outbreak in the United Stated is over. CDC and FDA will continue to update the public as more information on the outbreak source is uncovered.

The 25-year-old started off strong with birdies on Nos. "I didn't want it to have to come down to the last couple holes", he said. Why bother deciding between being lucky or good when you can just be both? He played the 12th hole in four shots on the weekend.

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